Hero
by Tarafina
Summary: He was a different kind of hero. Chloe/Dean


**Title**: Hero**  
Genre**: Romance/Angst  
**Relationship**: Chloe/Dean**  
Rating**: T  
**Summary**: He was a different kind of hero.

**Hero **

**1/1 **

Chloe had known enough heroes in her time to recognize one without having to be told. She'd stood side-by-side with Superman for all of high school and a good portion of her twenties. Along the way, she became a liaison for the Justice League of America, working along side Batman, Green Arrow, and various other heroes of high caliber. So when she met Dean Winchester in a dim bar where he was chatting up a leggy brunette with less scruples than a broom, she was a little surprised to feel her hero meter going off. He didn't look like the average hero. He didn't act or even walk like the heroes she'd known. He swaggered, he swore, he was gruff around the edges, but there was an appealing heroism that she could see was ingrained in every molecule.

She met his brother first. A straight laced type that she knew was a hero like his brother, but really hadn't planned to be. He was nice, polite and both like and unlike his brother. He was more serious than Dean, she could see that. When he recognized her it was because of her Web of Weird webpage (a high tech version of her Wall of Weird) and got into a deep conversation about the various things she'd seen and how she dealt with them. His brother thought he was picking her up and was proud of "Sammy" for finally getting his act together. Until he learned who she was, what she did, and what she knew. She wasn't a hunter, but she was known by their type. Watchtower, intrepid reporter, whichever label. The weird followed her like a plague at times and though she sometimes welcomed it, she usually ended up battling for her life. So when she met up with the Winchester brothers, it was a so-so situation for her. They were good guys; charming in a way. But she wasn't looking forward to running for her life again.

She was on the road for a reason. The secrets she was keeping were piling up and too many people wanted her head on a pike. So she went out on the road, let the League know when their help was needed wherever she stopped. Oliver funded her cross country trip with no expense spared. Sometimes she felt bad for that, others she just relished in the freedom she had. So there she was, sitting at the bar talking to Sam Winchester – supposedly dead by FBI reports – about the weirdness that was Smallville and then Dean interrupted, realizing it wasn't a hook up.

"She was too hot for you anyway," he later told Sam.

Leaving his dumber than dust bimbo at the bar, he got in on the conversation and before she knew it, she was a little drunk and a lot attracted to Dean. Not only because he was damn sexy, but because he met her on a wavelength many others didn't. He worked with the weird, lived the weird, and fought it every day. She knew that feeling, inside and out. It was good to meet somebody who got that.

After a few more drinks, Sam had returned to the hotel for some sleep, while she and Dean continued to talk at the bar over a few more beers and a couple shots.

He listed off everything he'd fought and killed in the past while she told him every death defying adventure she'd had with the meteor freaks of Smallville. He was impressed, but not to the point of thinking it was twilight zone.

He was funny, too. In a snarky, down to earth sort of way. And though he was flirting with her constantly, there was a casual confidence to it, like he recognized that she wasn't just another woman in another bar in another city. Didn't mean she was going to sleep with him, but she liked that she was different from the rest.

Somewhere along the line, a countless-hours conversation in a bar conversation turned into them working a case together and then she was on the road with them. Her arsenal of weapons in her trunk made him smirk and they taught her what they could about hunting. It was different from what she knew. She wasn't a hunter, more of an observer that unfortunately got caught far too often. She knew Sam didn't approve of her coming along. He liked her, but he didn't want to risk her life. Dean liked it. He enjoyed having somebody else around to hang out with than his "geek brother." She had her own car and she always got a separate room, despite his protests that he'd share a room with her anytime. She became the researcher, helping Sam out with gathering all the information needed for each hunt. She found herself immersed in their work. It was so much more raw than what she was used to.

It was a few months before she recognized that the appeal Dean gave off was a little more than she expected. He was arrogant and he hid his emotions behind snark. But he was a good person when it came down to it. His only goal was keeping people safe and that was something to be marveled at.

"I'm not your average hero," he once told her. "There's no recognition in this job and that's the way I like it." He shrugged. "Just knowing that it's a little safer after each hunt is enough for me."

He didn't want millions of dollars for his services. He barely made ends meet as it was. He lived out of crummy hotels and a gym bag of clothes that had seen better days. His most precious belonging was his car. The person that mattered most to him was his brother. And his only care in the world was making sure that he did what he had to do to make the world safer. Every day.

They were in another bar in another city tonight, Sam had long past gone to bed. Dean hadn't hit on one woman, which surprised her. Instead, he sat next to her, nursing a beer and staring off in deep thought. Usually he was hustling people in pool or chatting up the next Jessica Simpson. She'd grown used to his behavior. Of course, he didn't let any guys near her, so she couldn't follow in his footsteps. She was off limits to people of the male gender it seemed. All but Sam weren't allowed within five feet of her. He told her it was because you could never trust people, but there was something about how his eyes turned away from hers that made her think it wasn't the whole truth.

Sam told her he wasn't used to caring about someone as much as he did her. She figured it was because she'd partnered up with them and they'd taken her under their wing. Maybe a sisterly love that would seem gross if she knew how she thought about him some nights when the tension of life and work was too much.

He turned to her abruptly, his brow lifted. "Why are you with us?"

She stared at him funny. "Because I've been with you for four months…" She shook her head in confusion.

"No. I mean… I mean why are you out here, doing this, hanging around with us. You could be writing for some big paper or working with the real heroes out there. You could be doing more than road tripping with a couple of guys that chase down demonic sons 'o bitches all day." He frowned. "You have options."

"And I chose to do this," she replied, lifting a shoulder. "You love your job, Dean. Is it really that hard to comprehend?"

He stared at her, his expression severe. "You don't have to live this life, though. I do. I was born to do this. _Raised _to do this. But you… You could be out there getting that white picket fence if you want it. You could be normal."

"You mean an unsuspecting victim." She sighed. "My life has never been normal. It's always been complicated and leaving was something I had to do." She turned on the bar stool, her knees bumping his. "I'll admit that I never thought I'd be doing this. Hunting down demons day by day, living out of motels and eating crummy diner food." She made a face before chuckling. "But I like it more than I thought I would. There's a sense of freedom and content to it. Like I've really done something."

He frowned. "What about the Daily Planet? Or the Justice League thing? It's a lot safer."

Her brows furrowed. "Safer?"

He sighed, looking uncomfortable. "You shouldn't be out here. I know I said that you fit in and that you had the right mind set. You do understand it, better than a lot of folks. But…" He paused, swallowing. "I thought I could handle having you around but now when we're out there, all I can think is that I have another back to be watching. I can't lose my brother and… And I know now that I can't lose you either."

She bit her lip. "What are you saying?"

He didn't reply right away. "I'm saying you need to go back to Metropolis. Call that rich guy that heads up the League. Get out of here." His jaw clenched. "Save yourself."

She reached out, taking his hand. "Dean…?"

He gripped her hand tightly. "Don't go soap opera on me, Goldilocks. You know this is right." He shook his head, his teeth clenching. "I should've sent you away in the beginning." He shrugged. "I can be selfish."

His mask had lifted, making him look indifferent.

"If I say no, I'm going to wake up and you're going to be gone, aren't you?" she replied, nodding.

He looked down at her, his hazel eyes meeting hers with honesty. "You know I can't let you keep doing this."

"And you know that I'm stubborn," she replied, her mouth lifting with a sad smile.

He reached out, fingers cupping her chin. "You deserve better than this."

"What do you deserve?" she wondered, her voice quiet.

"I know what I don't deserve." He shook his head. "And that's you."

Her hand wrapped around his wrist, thumb brushing his pulse. "You know, I've always had a thing for heroes." She smiled briefly. "It's my downfall, I think."

"You've always had a thing for meteor freaks, too," he reminded with a gruff laugh.

She rolled her eyes. "So you're just gonna leave me out here, high and dry? All on my lonesome?" she asked, voice mildly teasing. "Not the safest I've been in the last few months."

He looked down before his hand was lifting and he tugged his necklace off, the gold charm hanging heavy from his hand. He lifted it over her head and straightened it against her chest. "That'll keep you safe until the League picks you up," he said with a nonchalant shrug.

Her fingers wrapped around the charm, knowing that this was the closest she'd get to having a piece of him for herself. "You don't have to do this."

"Yeah I do."

He stood up from his stool and stared at her a moment. He surprised her when he leaned forward and kissed her. His lips were smoother than she expected. Warm against her own; his tongue tasting faintly of beer and peanuts. She felt her body lead forward, warmth filling her from her toes to her lips. Her eyes nearly rolled back inside her head, lids fluttering shut. One of his hands slid into her hair, cupping her neck, while the other firmly grasped her hip. He stood between her legs as she sat on her stool. With each flick of his tongue, she felt his fingers stroke her side and neck. As he parted from her, he pressed a few lingering kisses to her lips. His eyes opened slowly, staring down at her mouth before raising to meet hers.

He gave her his infamous smirk, eyes crinkling at the sides with sincerity. "Raise hell, Chlo," he murmured, voice deep and rough.

She shivered. "Naturally," she replied breathily.

With a final kiss to her forehead and a sigh as he lingered, he finally pulled away. He didn't turn back as he left and she knew that tomorrow she'd be on her own. She watched him walk away, that familiar swagger in each step. She silently said goodbye to the hero she'd come to know as Dean Winchester. A typical guy with the drive to save the world and everybody in it. Biting her lip, she wondered if he'd let her stay if she told him she loved him, but knew he'd only get away from her quicker. Always looking to keep those he cared about safe, he forgot about himself and focused on others. Turning back to her beer, she took a long swig before standing up and taking her coat. She had a call to make. Sometimes tomorrow, she'd be back to Metropolis. Watchtower was on duty and Chloe Sullivan, demon hunter, was no more.

Flipping open her phone, she dialed the familiar number to League headquarters and hoped her tears wouldn't transfer through her voice.

"JLA," Clark's voice answered.

"Hey," she said, smiling sadly into the night.

"What's wrong?" he asked, knowingly.

"A broken heart," she sighed, sniffling. "You know me and heroes…" She shook her head, eyes turning up to the night sky. "It's time to come home." She didn't tell him that it wasn't her choice. It she had it her way, she'd be doing a lot more than just kissing a certain demon hunting hero and she wouldn't stop. But she knew Dean well enough to know that he'd never let his feelings get in the way of her life. She kicked the ground and hung up the phone after Clark promised to make sure she was back by tomorrow. Stupid heroes and their tendencies for looking out for her and breaking her heart at the same time. Just once, she wished she could have that happily ever after.

The only slightly mollifying part of the whole ordeal was that she knew that despite the fact that he was sending her away, she wasn't the only one hurting. He loved her too. She felt it in his kiss. She cursed whatever being made it their life's mission to keep her from happiness. Walking back to her hotel room, her hand rose to wrap around the gold charm around her neck. She may never see him again, but she'd always have him with her.

* * *

**Author's Note**: _My first Chlean! Hope you liked it. Doesn't mean I'm getting away from Chlollie! Chloe/Oliver is still my OTP! Reviews are sustenance readers! Luv yas - Fina!_


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